TONY Mowbray says the time to judge his selection policy is at the end of the season.

The Boro boss has come in for criticism from some quarters after using 24 players in six Championship games and also for resting Luke Williams and Adam Reach for Tuesday’s defeat at Blackpool.

In mitigation, many of the changes have been forced on the manager, who has had a significant number of injuries to contend with and a hectic early-season schedule that included five matches in 15 days.

He also signed three outfield players after the season was under way - Josh McEachran, Ishmael Miller and Andre Bikey - so they’ve had to be accommodated as well.

As a manager, Mowbray accepts he’ll ultimately be judged on results, but will continue to make tough decisions that won’t always be popular.

“I pick a team that I think will win the match and if we don’t win a match then I’m open to criticism, I understand that,” he told the Gazette.

“But every club has squads. You can’t achieve anything in football without a squad of players.

“If you don’t have a squad and start picking up injuries you soon start to know about it when you are delving into your under-21 squad to fill the holes and losing matches.

“Ultimately, I’ll get judged at the end of the season on how we utilise our squad.

“You can only pick 11 players,” he added. “I understand that if you get beaten the supporters get disappointed and frustrated and ask ‘why wasn’t HE in the team?’

“And, yet, if you stick with the same players and you get beaten, you get asked ‘why wasn’t HE playing?’ That’s football.”

Mowbray has revealed that he keeps players like Luke Williams fully informed of his matchday plans.

“The likes of Williams and Reach have done exceptionally well,” he said.

“They are young players and the demands of the game at this level are something that require huge intensity and concentration from them.

“Sometimes the workload of back-to-back games for a young player is very difficult and those are the decisions you have to make.

“Luke understands it. The boy isn’t there crying and shouting.

"I think he’s fully understanding of the decision and the fact that we are trying to manage his career and give him the best chance to be a regular first team footballer.”